Were in israel visiting family. Hamas said the pair were freed for humanitarian reasons. The white house says that President Biden has spoken to the released us hostages and theirfamily by phone. In a Statement Issued shortly after their release was secured, President Biden said. Us Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken has said he was relieved the women had been released but reminded that many others are still being held. Theres still ten additional americans who remain unaccounted for in this conflict. We know that some of them are being held hostage by hamas, along with an estimated 200 other hostages held in gaza. They include men, women, young boys, young girls, elderly people, from many nations. Every single one of them should be released. Our correspondent Barbara Plett usher brings us more from inside the halls of the State Department. The release of the hostages disrupted the day here at the State Department. We were sitting down for the daily briefing, and then we were told that it would be delayed for two hours because of Breaking News. Now, they didnt say what the Breaking News was, but we knew what it was. And so when we returned to the briefing room, there was another delay and then Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken came up to speak. And this was an important moment for him, because he has really been pressing for the release of the hostages during his recent trip to the region, engaging in Shuttle Diplomacy between israel and the arab states. He was pressing for this, especially in qatar, which has taken the lead in trying to negotiate the release of the hostages because it has relations with hamas. Theres a hamas office in doha, so qatar has been working very hard on this. The Foreign Ministry there released a statement saying there had been days of continuous communication to get to this point with all parties and saying that the qataris would continue talks with hamas and with the israelis to try to get the rest of the hostages released, and hopefully that would help to de escalate the situation. Rabbi meir hecht in illinois Knows Bothjudith and Natalie Raanan personally. He spoke to me after the news of their release. Judith prays every week in our congregation, for every sabbath, every holiday, and we miss her and shes been a part of our congregation in such an important way, and as a family friend, someone who would come to our home every sabbath, parade around the house with our baby and bring over gifts for the children. Really, our hearts are filled with gratitude to almighty god for this miracle. And again, we continue to pray and ask everyone to pray for the release of the other 200 plus hostages in the hands of hamas terrorists. And what more can you tell us aboutjudith and natalie . As you say, theyre members of the congregation there. What kind of women are they . What kind of role do they have in the community there . Judith and natalie are really special people. Judith is the most kind, giving, sharing, generous person, someone who is always first to be there for other people in their time of need. She is a woman who would, as i said, come over, bring gifts for the children. Shes someone who loves life, loves humanity. Her daughter natalie is the same. Like mum, like daughter. These are people who have a love for every human being, and they are both artists, which means that they have a special touch of spirituality in their soul, something that theyre able to convey through the beauty of art. Earlier, i spoke with michael allen, the former special Assistant To The President at the National Security council, for his take on what concessions may have been made for the hostages release and the diplomatic issues surrounding the war. So i think it might give israel some hope that the Qatar Negotiation Channel with the leaders of hamas who are there in doha might bearfruit. They may they may give the Hostage Negotiations channel more time to work before going into gaza. Welljust have to see whether this is an isolated incident where hamas decided it was in their interest for these two american hostages to be let go or whether its a sign that they might be able to do more negotiations, perhaps hamas hostages for ones that israel has in prison, for whatever crimes they might have committed. Given your experience in this sort of field, do you think that something or someone may have been exchanged in place of these two women . My sense tells me that, yes, i believe the United States, maybe in an indirect way, could have possibly tried to facilitate a similar Hostage Release or maybe taken some sort of action that was requested by qatar, perhaps on behalf of hamas. Its too soon to say. I think in coming days, well know what, if anything, was negotiated here. But for now, at least, if it bears out, this will be good news coming into the weekend that this American Mother and her daughter are free. If we go back to that attack by hamas that triggered this latest round of intense conflict, it was a grand scale Intelligence Failure on the israelis behalf. What needs to be changed . What needs to be reformed there . Well, so often, i think intelligence entities in the Analysis Section start to believe conventional wisdom. I think they believed in this case that there would be no attack from gaza, that the gazans were interested in the economic passage, that many of the workers there had to come into israel. I think israel was distracted and thought that if any terrorism was to occur, it would come from the west bank or, of course, from the north, where theyre always engaged with iranian proxies. So i think they were looking in the other direction, and i think it will be incumbent upon all intelligence services, including ours in the five eyes and the uk and the United States, to constantly question their assumptions. I think also it would have been wise for the United States as we weighed a Normalisation Agreement between israel and saudi arabia, to have asked the question, whos going to oppose this and what might they do . I hope that analysis had been cast out and conducted some weeks ago. I hope that analysis had been tasked out but if not, its a reminder that we need to constantly be, as they say, red teaming our analytical conclusions, putting other teams on facts and trying to get them to discern or see if there are alternative conclusions that can be drawn on that point. On that point, weve seen a state Department Official resign over the approach that the us has taken, giving that unwavering support to israel. There is reporting that some other senior officials in the State Department are preparing a communication to come up the dissent channel, registering their dissatisfaction with the approach the us is taking. Whats your view on all of that and on how this policy may have been set out . Yes, i think there will be some level of discomfort within the State Department for those who view this, just as the publics Around The World view this. Its a very controversial, emotional issue. Many people in the United States are, of course, supportive of israel. But there are two ways to look at it, im afraid, and im certain that some people hope or would rather President Biden address more aggressively calls for a ceasefire and maybe even advancing a Two State Solution under the aegis of United States diplomacy. I dont think thats in the cards right now. I think President Biden, like many americans, is absolutely shocked at the horror and bloodlust coming out of the gaza strip last saturday, and so i think its going to take some time. Our experience here in the United States, of course, is september 11th. I think president bush and any democratic leader, frankly, would have rejected calls for diplomacy just after those attacks. So i think we understand when Prime Minister netanyahu, and even those that are usually his political opponents, when they all agree its a time of war for israel, i think they need to be given some time to try and root out hamas. And so i dont think its a really realistic Policy Outcome in the United States to start insisting upon israel that they enter into some sort of negotiations with a mediator with hamas after what theyve done. Ok, well leave it there. Michael allen, thank you forjoining us. Thank you. For more on those hostages returning home, and the wider regional conflict, my colleague Sumi Somaskanda spoke with the north Dakota Republican senator kevin cramer. Senator, thank you very much forjoining us on bbc news tonight. I first just want to get your reaction to the news that two american hostages have been released. Well, first of all, its impossible to be anything other than pleased by it, joyful about it, grateful, frankly, that at least a couple more people are free and they get to be reunited with their families. And thanks to everybody in the value chain that made that possible. Senator, are you confident that this is a sign, perhaps, that other hostages might also be released . Well, you know, its obviously. Wed like to get them all released. And right now would be a good time to do it since we couldnt get it done sooner. That said, hostages are hostages for a reason. Usually, theyre used for some motivation. And so well see. But obviously, two today is great, and lets hope that it leads to two later and two again and again and again. But in the meantime, we still need to be diligent, do everything we can to identify where they are and do everything we can to get them released, either by diplomatic means or by force if necessary. Hopefully, diplomatic means will do it. But this is where we need ourfriends in the region, like the qataris and like egypt and and otherfriends in the region, to help us with the diplomatic side of things. And that seems to be what happened here. I dont know what, if anything, hamas gets out of this or if theyre going to demand anything going forward, but were just grateful for these two for now. I want to ask you about what we saw from President Biden on thursday evening. He has said that hes asking congress for more than 100 billion in funding for israel, for ukraine, also some money for the us mexico border. And he said in his address that its, quote, a smart investment thats going to pay dividends for American Security for generations. Do you agree . Well, i agree that it can, but weve got a long ways to go to make it the type of package that actually does have forward leaning opportunities, that does, in fact, secure the Southern Border of the United States of america as well as other countries� borders. So were going to obviously have to work it over in the United States senate and certainly the house will as well. Its a collaborative process that gets to something that can actually pass. I dont think the amount is so horrible. That doesnt bother me. In fact, i wouldnt mind if it was twice as much as long as its put to a use that does in fact have a secure future. But at the same time, part of why we are here at the moment we are is because weve been projecting weakness both out of the white house and, frankly, out of the country for the last few years, as weve really neglected our military. Weve neglected rebuilding. So, senator, could ijump in there and just ask you. Could i ask you what youd like to see then instead from President Biden . Sure. What id rather see, quite honestly, is a United States of America National defence supplemental. And yes, ukraine is part of that. Yes, israel is part of that. Certainly, the Southern Border has to be the most important part of that, because what good is it to secure other nations if were not going to secure our own . But i think we need to recognise that weve been taking a peace dividend, really, for decades, and its caught up to us. We have a 60 year old Nuclear Deterrent and we need to modernise that. Our strategic posture is not what it needs to be. So what im saying is, lets rebuild our weapons systems, lets modernise our weapons systems, lets put more money into intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and next generation war fighters and make sure that the world is safer because the United States is stronger, much like Ronald Reagan and Maggie Thatcher did when they won the cold war without firing a shot. So you said, senator, that this request would need some work in the senate, in congress. If you look over at the house at the moment, theyve been without a speaker for two weeks. It doesnt look like the process is going to get resolved any time in the next few days, at least. What is your message to your colleagues in the house . Well, first of all, i would say to individual members of the house and i have many good friends over there, i served there for six years i would say, you exist for the congress. The congress does not exist for you. Put aside your petty differences and whatever disagreements you might have on an individual basis and look at the collective, and that is your colleagues, the other 434 members, whats good for the institution, whats good for the country and whats good for the world. Because right now, part of that projection of weakness, unfortunately, as a republican, it pains me to say this, but part of that projection of weakness is coming from the message coming from the House Of Representatives and the chaos thats ensuing over there. Because when a small group of people can sort of force the vast majority of people into a Compromising Position or a chaotic position, were not projecting the kind of strength that the United States needs to project. So its time to get over it. Now if, in fact, its hard to get over it, and i dont want to dismiss just how difficult it is when there are people that are hurting for various reasons or feeling disenfranchised, then lets then lets do the Patrick Mchenry thing. Lets go ahead and empower the Acting Speaker who doesnt want the job, which i think makes him smarter than most. He doesnt actually want thejob. Lets empower him to continue to function as a speaker so that the house can function in its responsibilities, notjust as it relates to the security of the nation and the world and this particular supplemental, and realise, again, were coming up against another fiscal cliff in less than a month. All right, senator, thank you so much forjoining us on bbc news tonight. My pleasure. Thank you. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. Lets look at some other stories making news. Two people are confirmed to have been killed and some communities are inaccessible during a rare red Weather Warning in parts of scotland. Storm babet is bringing winds of up to 70 miles per hour, torrential rain and heavy flooding that could be a threat to life. Amber and yellow Weather Warnings are also in place across the uk. Labour leader sir keir starmer has described thursdays record breaking wins in two by elections as a Game Ch Anger he said the results show that his party can now win anywhere. Labour secured two new mps, by overturning huge Tory Majorities in Mid Bedfordshire and tamworth. Prime minister rishi sunak said the result were obviously disappointing. The long term partner of italys Prime Minister, giorgia meloni, has been suspended from his job, just hours after ms meloni announced that the two were separating. Andrea giambruno is a Prominent Television presenter in italy and was recorded apparently making sexual approaches to colleagues. The scandal is proving an embarrassment for miss meloni. Youre live with bbc news. In gaza, an estimated i million displaced palestinians continue to wait for desparately needed aid stuck at the Rafah Crossing on the egyptian side of the border. Un secretary general Antonio Guterres visited the crossing with egypt on friday, where hundreds of trucks are waiting at the border. Mr gutteres says he expects the first shipment of 20 trucks that President Biden was able to negotiate with israeli and egyptian officials to cross in the next day or so. But the un says those 20 trucks is not enough. The water is running out, the hospitals are overwhelmed and are now rationing anaesthetic and painkillers. This as israel and hamas continue to exchange air strikes. Much of Northern Gaza is now in ruins. Our reporter Adnan El Bursh has sent us this report from one area thats been heavily bombed. This is an affluent neighbourhood in central gaza. Overnight, its been completely destroyed. 32 tower blocks, each containing dozens of flats, are now totally gone. Translation they told us to evacuate at around 8. 30 or 9. 00 at night. We ran through the streets. Then israel started bombing the area nonstop from 9. 00 until 7. 00 this morning. You can see all of this destruction. Umm salim lived in one of these blocks of flats. She tells me all the families in her tower are now living stranded in the streets of gaza, with nowhere to go. Other residents say many people remain trapped. Translation we cannot bring people out from under the rubble. Ambulances cannot get here. We cannot pull the bodies out. People are screaming, but we cannot pull them out. Last nights attack took many residents by surprise, as people told me that it has been a relatively calm area in gaza. Translation we are civilians living peacefully in our homes. | why are you bombing us and ruining our lives . As we were filming here, a new warning came in from the israeli army, telling people to evacuate. We have now left because its dangerous. But the reality is, for many people still there, there is nowhere safe to go. Adnan el bursh, bbc news, from central gaza. Ive been speaking to bushra khalidi, the West Bank Policy Lead for oxfam. Shes originally from gaza and has been working on the aid response since the humanitarian crisis began. Bushra khalidi, thank you very much forjoining us. If we can just start by looking at the situation today at the Rafah Crossing, what is the situation there as far as you know it . The crossings have remained closed. We have been hopeful since monday that they may open every other day, but this has not yet happened. We have no indication of when this might happen. Yesterday night, we had an indication that this would happen today, and it has not and it is very unlikely to happen this late at night. Also, fuel was not part of the deal for humanitarian aid to enter, so im not exactly sure how the distribution is going to happen without fuel, im not sure how waste Water Treatment plants that are pouring raw sewage into the sea at the moment are going to operate without fuel, im not exactly sure how hospitals are going to operate their generators without fuel. So fuel is an essential necessity, and that needs to also be able to access through rafah when the aid is allowed to come in. Were dealing with an extremely difficult situation. Sorry for interrupting you. Bushra, just on that point, are you in contact with youre from gaza yourfriends, yourfamily, those local partners . How long more can people carry on in the situation that theyre in now . They cannot carry on any more. Yesterday, really. We have 33 colleagues in the gaza strip. Ive got all my in laws. They are. They want to die in dignity thats how hopeless the situation is. Some people were in the south, and the conditions are so terrible that theyve gone back to their homes, risking their lives and their childrens lives. Some of our colleagues have chosen to go back home and then got, again, Evacuation Orders again today and trying to desperately look for somewhere to shelter. I mean, its harrowing. I mean, you know, i received a text message from one of my colleagues, and im not sure if i can read it, but he asked us to read it. And the situation is dire. He. Cani . Yes. Yeah, please do, yeah. He said, the situation is getting worse day after day. Finally, i managed to get bread forfive shekel, but it will only last for half a day. When i was walking to the bakery, i saw people who came from Gaza Sleeping in their car because they were not able to find shelter. I saw people sleeping in shops, in the streets, on the asphalt, without any mattresses nor blankets. Its a terrible situation theyre suffering. On my way back home, i found two children alone. They were crying. They told me they were in an unrwa shelter, but their parents went to get food and didnt come back. Were looking for them. We cant find them. I was afraid to lose those children, so i took them to a shop owner from khan younis who knows the area and maybe could help them. We dont have electricity, we dont have water. Were buying fuel at double its costs. We rented a generator at a high costjust to pump water for two hours. We were able to buy water for double the price, but it can only cover the need for one day. Were not hungry. We have a little food, but very limited choices. Every day, i hear my daughter and my son � dad, i want to return back to gaza. � � why, dad . � � i want to go back to gaza because i want my uniform. � i want to go and play football. � it� s difficult to go. The situation is risky. Insha� allah, you� ll get your uniform and you can go back to the football club. My children are deeply affected by what happened at the hospital the day before yesterday. They are scared. They didn� t know how to make sense of it. It� s difficult to understand why people are being targeted like this and they are afraid they will be targeted ina similarway. We truly hope for a future where everyone is happy and safe and where the humanitarian rules are followed, to ensure protection for all. And, bushra, that text message from your colleague inside gaza, he� s talking about Hope For The Future what do you see the future holding, when we see the head of the United Nations at that Rafah Crossing pleading for the aid to be let in . I used to work for another International Organisation a few years ago and we commissioned a report in gaza, and we found that four out of five children in gaza felt hopeless about the world and didn� t know how to dream about their future. Those were the scientific findings of this report. This was three years ago, after the 2021 war. I can� t imagine what those numbers look like today. 0k. Bushra khalidi, unfortunately, we� ll have to leave it there for the moment, but thank you so much for talking to us. We do appreciate it. Thank you. And remember, you can get the latest on the israel gaza war on our website. Or check out our app. We have reports from our correspondents in israel, gaza and Around The World. You can get all the reaction about our top story today. Stay with us here on bbc news. Hello. For some places, the flooding situation could get worse before it gets better, not least in Eastern Scotland, where we have this new red warning from the met office. Further rain through the day on saturday, falling on top of what we� ve already had. This is friday� s rainfall radar. The rain was pretty relentless across Eastern Scotland and also northern england, parts of east anglia, the north midlands, north wales huge amounts of rain. We� ve seen widespread flooding, and this met Office Amber Warning remains in force through the first parts of saturday morning. But of greatest concern, i think, is this red warning covering parts of angus and southern aberdeenshire, a further 100 millimetres of rain, further significant flooding and a danger to life. Amber warnings covering larger parts of eastern and northern scotland, as this rain just keeps on coming through the day tomorrow. For england and wales, broadly speaking, a drier day. This band of showery rain will push eastwards. Could see hefty downpours skirting the south east corner. Northern ireland probably having some of the best of the weather largely dry, just the odd shower, some spells of sunshine. Windy in the South Of England and the channel islands, still windy in north east scotland. But for many northern parts of the uk, not as windy as it has been. Temperatures north to south, 8 to 16 degrees. Now, this heavy rain continues into saturday evening, but it will clear northwards overnight, this band of Showery Rain Pushing away from eastern england. And then things do turn drier. Yes, a few showers. I think there� ll be some mist patches around as well. But a drier start to Sunday Morning as an area of low pressure tends to swirl away north eastwards, and this very, very weak ridge of high pressure, you can� t see much of it here on the weather chart, but there is some slightly higher pressure just toppling through, and that means drier weather, more in the way of sunshine. Yes, there will be some showers, but certainly not as wet as it has been. Lighter winds, temperatures of 12 to 16 degrees. So a much calmer day to end the weekend. But then as we head into next week, well, another area of low pressure looks set to push up from the south. This one probably not as potent, but it will still bring further rain in places where we really do not need it. So, the outlook for next week is pretty unsettled. There will be some heavy rain around at times. Will be quite windy but with some drier interludes. This is bbc news. We� ll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour straight after this programme. This week i� m in turkey where they� re gearing up for the country� s 100th anniversary. Rising from the remains of the Ottoman Empire a century ago, turkey inherited a disparate group of cultures and began a process of rapid modernisation under its founder, ataturk. I� m travelling the country to understand how all of these diverse cultures were brought together. From the Burial Grounds of the god kings of ancient anatolia. To the turquoise coast, where Queen Cleopatra is claimed to have once bathed. To an original ottoman coffee house in gaziantep. And the hotel frequented by the founder of the republic here in istanbul. Welcome to turkey